THE Lower house approves the “Tri-Level” project bill sponsored by Cebu Sixth District Representative Congresswoman Emmarie “Lolypop” Ouano-Dizon which will be constructed along M.C Briones Street and U.N. Avenue, in Barangay Ibabao-Estancia, Mandaue City.
House Bill No. 9886 was approved in the lower house on August 31, 2021 for the final reading.
The project is a combination of an underpass, flyover, and another road-level passage of vehicles.
Dizon’s bill includes the construction of the “tri-level interchange” and the funds for the project will be included in the General Appropriation Act (GAA).
Thus, this project will be included in the program of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the construction will be under the supervision of the department.
Dizon said this project was realized since she noticed that the traffic congestion at the intersection has burdened the motorists and the commuters for decades now.
Data from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) showed that unresolved traffic congestion in Metro Cebu has resulted in at least a billion pesos in economic losses in a day.
Dizon said traffic congestion has been an apparent problem along M.C. Briones Street and U.N. Avenue.
“The existing road infrastructure simply cannot cope with the growing number of vehicles,” said Dizon.
In making the bill, she said it could resolve the traffic congestion in the area which the motorists took hours to pass considering that the intersection was a major thoroughfare of the vehicles going to the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA), Lapu-Lapu City, and the Municipality of Cordova through the Marcelo Fernan Bridge as well as those going to the northern and southern side of Cebu.
Also, with the expansion of the MCIA, Dizon considered that the influx of tourists may double and could add up to the traffic volume which all lead to realizing the “tri-level interchange.”
She said that traveling through the intersection which ideally takes 15 minutes may take more than an hour on the worst days.
By the time this bill will be implemented, Dizon said traffic will be decongested in the area.
She added the passage of the bill is a huge step towards the development of the project.
After this approval, the House bill will still have to be approved by the Senate.
Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes welcomed the development, saying with the approval of this bill, it will compliment with the ongoing underpass and overpass project at the corner U.N. avenue and D.M. Cortes.
“This just goes to show that we are able to achieve great things when we are united in the service of the Mandauehanons,” said Cortes
Quezon City Representative Eric Go Yap, chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, and Romblon District Representative Eleandro Jesus Madrona, chairman of the Committee on Public Works and Highways, recommended the approval of the bill.
Dizon said the DPWH is doing detailed engineering and design studies as preparation for the project. (KFD)